Embryonic rationale for the primary correction of classical congenital clefts of the lip and palate.

Primary correction of congenital clefts of the lip and palate should be designed to carry the interrupted embryonic process to normal completion. This is best accomplished by maxillary alignment with presurgical orthodontics, stabilisation of the maxillary alignment, obliteration of the alveolar cleft and construction of the nasal floor with periosteoplasty. This allows early construction of the lip by rotation and advancement and correction of the nose with columella lengthening, alar cartilage positioning and alar base cinching. This can be accomplished before school age.